


Heroes - The Staff of Life

by MammaTino



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Angst, Denmark is the bad guy whoops sorry, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, God Au! Hetalia, God Au! Nordics, Hetalia God AU, I love Denmark I swear, May contain mentions of torture, Maybe a lil nasty language here and there, More characters come later in the story, More characters will come in the future, Multi, god AU, lot's of fighting too I guess, mainly nordics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2018-07-25 13:58:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7535476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MammaTino/pseuds/MammaTino
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emil was having a peaceful night in the comfort of his bed with the usual nightmares until his dream took an unexpected turn, and the next thing he knew, he was off on a life-changing quest strapped with a sword and his only friend. The earth crumbles underneath their feet and beasts come out into the mortal world as they make their way through the alarmed streets, having to leave behind Emil's brother who shoved them out of their shabby apartment and said 'run'.</p><p>Shadow wolves attacking the city?<br/>Immortal gods who act like children?<br/>Long-Lost daddy issues?</p><p>Welcome to the downfall of Emil's life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Run.

When Emil woke up early that morning, he wasn't expecting to spend his afternoon out on the streets of Manhattan, on the run from some unknown force to a destiny he never expected to happen. He wasn't expecting to see his older brother get shoved to the ground by something that was hard to make out in the darkness of their shabby apartment. He wasn't expecting to wake up on the day where his life would shatter into pieces right in front of his eyes.

But until then, life seemed to be going on like it usually would.The bright sun was hanging high in the winter sky and clouds drifted by lazily like the pedestrians down on the sidewalk. The young teen had just woken up from one of his regular nightmares and was staring up at the ceiling as he mused over the visions he saw in his sleep, trying to ignore the loud TV in the living room. There was Fire. There always was fire. The hot flames would surround him, slowly growing bigger and bigger with each passing night.Usually, there was an owl in front of him, watching him spiral deeper into the nightmare with it's unnatural piercing blue eyes. Though this time, there was a wolf. The sudden change in his dreams should have made him a bit suspicious, but it wasn't important, right? The wolf, a rather large one, would send shivers down the teen's back every time he thought about it and freeze him in his spot. The beast would tower over the scalding flames, it's blood-red eyes would study him closely like he was a delicious piece of meat before it pounced, making him wake up in a cold sweat.

A shuddering breath left his dry lips as he thought about the strange dream, not understand why exactly his heart was beating so rapidly over something so trivial. He ran a hand through his snow-white hair and almost ripped a chunk off his head when he heard a loud crash outside his and his brother's bedroom, taking him by surprise. He quickly got out of his bed and threw the door open, surveying the chaotic and messy scene. His eyes widened when he saw the older male on the floor, surrounded by broken plates and cups, food and drinks splattered on the floor. "Lukas!"

Lukas shook his head and clutched his chest tightly with his right hand before pulling himself up with his left one, holding onto the kitchen counter as he started to slip on all the spilled juice. Emil quickly gripped his arm and held onto him before hauling him up onto his feet more easily. "Damn it Lukas...This is why I tell you to go to the hospital, you're getting worse!"

His brother shook his head again and waved him off. "I'm fine, I don't need the hospital. My magic's just acting up."

Emil rolled his eyes and picked up the broom in the corner of the cramped up kitchenette, sweeping all the bacon and ceramic away from Lukas so he wouldn't fall and get a face-full of delicious meat and painful shards.  "Stop using that stupid 'magic is acting up' excuse, it's getting old..I'm not a kid anymore, Lukas. Just say the truth. Is it your heart?"  
The teen watched the other closely, trying to mask the look of worry on his face. He remembered the first time his older brother had a similar attack and recalled the huge amount of fear that was in his heart at that time. He was just a small innocent boy, he was alone and the thought of his brother going away forever was too much for him to handle. Magic was the only excuse that would comfort him every time Lukas had his attacks.

But now it was just getting annoying.

"It's none of that."  Lukas claimed before he snatched the broom out of Emil's hands to continue the clean up, acting like he didn't have some sort of heart attack earlier. "Bad things are going to happen, my magic can sense that and it's reacting to it."

"You've been saying that since Mor died and nothing happened."

"Maybe back then, no." He put the broom away and tossed a rag over to Emil so he could mop up the orange juice quickly. "But one of these days, something will happen. I can feel it." The teen scoffed and rolled his eyes again at how dramatic his brother was being before kneeling down to scrub the floor free of the sticky substance. "Yeah, to you. One day you'll get sent straight to the hospital and you'll never get out alive..." He trailed off and looked down at his lap guiltily as he stopped scrubbing at the tiles, trying his best to blink the pitiful tears away- embarrassed that he was being so weak.

He felt two arms wrap around his chest in a comforting manner, rubbing his back soothingly which were then pushed off of him angrily. "Stop that, I don't need your pity hugs."  
He didn't notice the hurt look in Lukas' dark, mysterious violet eyes. Not that he cared in the first place. Why should he? His brother was just some jerk that didn't care about his own health and spend practically all day at work, doing weird 'magical' things that creeped out the neighbours.

After they cleaned up the mess silently, Emil took his brother's place at the stove and told him to go lay down on the couch to rest up and relax while he made breakfast with whatever food was in the fridge. He cursed at how bare it looked and reminded himself to go buy some food for the both of them later on in the afternoon since all they had left was a carton of eggs and a small pack of sausages. As he started cooking, he heard a small groan coming from his brother on the couch. "I'm fine, I swear. Lemme do my things."  
Emil clenched his fists and snapped, "No! You just had a fucking heart attack, I'm not letting you do anything. What kind of shitty brother would I be!?"  
Lukas scowled and sat up abruptly, glaring at the young teen. "Oi. Language. I'm the one taking care of you here."

He huffed and rolled his eyes, putting the food into two plates before placing them neatly on the counter, "Yeah right, as if..."  he muttered to himself before he dug into his breakfast hungrily.

Emil didn't notice the way Lukas stormed over to the opposite side of the counter, as he was too busy thinking about all the things he had to do that day- He knew he had to buy some more food at the small market nearby before he'd go meet up with his friend at the park and spend the day with him. The plates and the cutlery shook slightly when his brother slammed his hands down onto the counter-top, glaring threateningly at the startled teen. At that moment, he knew that he messed up- but he wasn't about to go up to his brother sucker up to him in an attempt to get him to forgive Emil. He was way too stubborn to do that, he had to stand his ground. "What did you mean by that, Emil?"  
"I meant what I said." He crossed his arms gruffly and jutted out his chin, looking his fuming brother up and down. "You're barely ever home. And when you are, you're busy doing god knows what."

Emil watched Lukas curl his hands into tight, trembling fists while his jaw stiffened. "I work hard to keep us under this roof- it's not my fault I have to work longer hours so we make enough money to be comfortable. Plus, when I'm here with you, you're never paying attention to me- don't you want to spend time with me?"  
"Maybe it's because I really don't want to spend time with you! Maybe sometimes I don't want to be around you!" He snapped, slamming his hands onto the counter in front of his brother's clenched fists, trying his best to match the older boy's glare in an attempt to get his point across.

And he did- but he took it too far.

A thick silence hung in the air like a large curtain, suffocating the teen, keeping him from saying what was on his mind. He wanted to move away from his brother and apologize for screaming at him, for being a horrible sibling that didn't appreciate the only family he had left- but nothing came out. His eyes were blown wide open with what he had said to Lukas and he started to hate himself when he saw his brother turn his back on Emil and walk away towards the open living room. "Lukas..."  
"If you have such a problem with me, then you can leave."

"L-Lukas that's not what I wanted-"

His brother quickly turned to him, his cold purple eyes sent violent shivers down his spine which made him step back fearfully, pressing his back against the fridge. Emil noticed that his irises seemed to glow in the dimly-lit room, which seemed to lodge an unsettled feeling deep into his rapidly pounding heart. Before Lukas could snap back a response and send them spiralling into a heated argument, the doorbell rang. Emil gave a sigh of relief and headed over to answer, but he was quickly pushed aside by his brother, who threw the door open like some drunk maniac. 

"They're here." A familiar voice said from the outside, which Emil instantly recognized as his best friend Leon Wang. He tried to move around Lukas, but he kept the teen away from seeing what was going on outside.

"Are you sure? It's too soon, it's still winter."

"I'm sure. The..Leader is on his way here right now. We have to hurry."

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?!" Emil protested, pushing Lukas away from the door so he could see what was going on, frowning when he noticed the distressed look on his Cantonese friend's face and the prominent heavy bags under his eyes. "Leon..?"

They ignored the young teen's demanding question, glancing around the apartment nervously. Lukas sighed and placed his hands behind his own neck, fumbling slightly, a look of worry and regret was evident on his face based on the way his lips were downturned. After a few quick seconds of fumbling and sighing repeatedly, Lukas held out a golden chain with a compass charm hanging neatly from the chain of the necklace. "Take this, you'll need it."

"N-need it?" Emil watched as his brother took his hand and placed the piece of jewellry in his open palm, curling the teen's fingers around it so he was holding onto it tightly. "What do I need it for? What's going on?"

"So many questions and not enough time. Listen, I'm sorry this has to happen so soon- especially after that fight. But you have to get out of here quickly."

"I-I'm not leaving you, who'll take care of you when you have those heart atta-" He was quickly interrupted when he heard a loud explosion outside, causing the apartment to tremble as windows broke and car alarms blared, making them fall to the ground. 

Once the shaking stopped, Leon and Emil sprung up to their feet, holding onto the doorway. The teen held out a hand to his brother in an attempt to help him up as well, but Lukas shook his head and swatted him away. "Go."

"I'm not going without you!"

"Run." The older male looked up at his brother from his spot on the floor and gave him a rough push as he got up onto his knees, watching as the Cantonese boy grabbed Emil's hand and pulled him away from the apartment and down the flights of stairs.

Before Emil was pulled out of the hallway, he caught a glimpse of his brother struggling to get up onto his feet before a dark shadow fell down on top of him, pushing him back onto the floor. But now the young Teen was out on the streets, letting his friend pull him along the panicked pathways of the city as he helplessly watched his apartment building tremble from the quakes, knowing that Lukas was in danger. But for now, all Emil could do was twist through the crowded sidewalks of manhattan towards an unknown fate.


	2. To Dream or Not to Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teen stood still as he watched Mr.Houdini Jr. adjust his glasses, the lenses glinting slightly in the dim light of the torch. “My name is Berwald. I’m the god of knowledge and heroes, and I need your help.”

Chapter 2- To Dream or Not to Dream

After that incident, things went by in a blur for Emil. All he could hear as he ran through the panicked streets of the city was a loud ringing in his ear that kept playing on and on, never stopping once to show mercy for the poor teen. It reminded him of the wretched heart monitors that he had grown to hate. His vision danced and swayed to non-existing music as he stared blankly at his friend’s back, numbly running after him as the earth trembled underneath his bare feet. He couldn’t look back. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t crane his head to look at the scene he had left behind. The scene where his older brother, the only family he had left in this world, was left behind to die.

Emil was mad- no, he was much more than simply mad. He was absolutely livid, furious beyond belief. His entire being was filled with hot rage and resentment towards Leon. How could he? How could Leon, the friend he had trusted so much, rip him away from the safety and reassurance of his brother? How could he be so stupid? It didn’t matter if Lukas was urging them to run on his own. They should have grabbed him and dragged him out of that crumbling apartment. Emil should have yelled at them. He should have slapped Leon for having the audacity to abandon his brother when there was a chance to save him.

The teen’s heart ached greatly as he stared at the back of his friend’s head, ignoring all the pedestrians screaming and trying to find something safe to hold onto. It’s not like he could hear them anyways. The only thing on his mind was his brother. Desperate questions and scenarios kept cycling through his brain, echoing in his numb mind over and over again in a way that would have driven him insane.

He should have screamed.

He should have fought back.

He should have grabbed Lukas’ hand.

He should have reacted better.

So why didn’t he?

Emil swore this was all just a dream. It could have all just been another one of his usual nightmares. He wished that this was all fake. He wished that his brain just decided to pull an early april-fools prank on him and make him suffer for something stupid he did in the past year. But no matter how much he hoped or wished, he couldn’t keep out the truth. Reality kept seeping into the gaping cracks of his mind, replacing all the wishful thinking with its unwanted presence. The ringing in his ear, the tight grip Leon had on his wrist, the tremors that sent unpleasant shocks up his legs- no, they were too real. He didn’t have to pinch himself to tell that he wasn’t dreaming.  
The scene around him changed from the large streets and tall buildings towards a packed path where market stalls and tiny restaurants sat on each side of the path, waiting for people to come and spend their money on good food or cheap gimmicks and toys. They were getting farther and farther from his home...Farther from his brother. That means there’s less chance of Emil saving him. Through his daze and confusion, he managed to get his thoughts together and grit his teeth as he weakly tried to pull his arm out of Leon’s strong grip, wanting so badly to escape and run back to the apartment complex. Maybe Lukas escaped? Maybe he was out on the street too? Maybe he was still alive? Emil struggled to pull away from Leon, his movements sluggish and slow, feet dragging onto the pavement as he tried to slow them down. 

Then everything disappeared.

All of his surroundings seemed to have vanished into thin air and Emil felt like he was floating, as his feet didn’t seem to be touching the ground. God, his day just couldn’t get any worse, could it? He tried to kick his legs, squirming and twisting in his little spot as he tried to find a way out.

All he could see was his pajama bottoms, a pair that he was usually a bit embarrassed to wear around others since the patterns were pretty childish. Well, by now the entire city of New York knew about his embarrassing batman pajamas. 

As he mused over how to regain his honor and how to punish Leon for letting Lukas die, a soft yellow light surrounded his form, filling him with a sense of warmth and fear. There was something a bit intimidating about it, something powerful and strong that made him want to straighten his back and salute whatever was awaiting him in the abyss. Though as soon as the light disappeared, he was suddenly hit with a horrid stench like a brick to his face before he noticed that his surroundings had changed as well. He was in a decently compact room that was seemed so cold and lifeless with it’s sickly gray walls and the dull stoned floor. His heart jolted a bit in his chest when he heard a monotonous dripping noise coming from somewhere in the room.

Emil fearfully tried to back away, wincing as his foot touched some warm liquid. ‘Don’t look’ he thought to himself, ‘Let’s just say it’s warm water.’

All of this was new to him, he was so used to the usual reoccurring dreams that something so different frightened him. He stood there in the still silence as an inner turmoil took place inside his mind. It felt like there were little people in his head like from that kids’ movie Inside Out, all of them squabbling at each other around a table as they tried to figure out what to do next. ’To explore or not to explore, that is the question.’ 

“Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind-”

Emil’s heart practically ripped out of his chest and oh boy, he had never screamed that way in his life.

“Why so scared? ‘s just Hamlet.”

The teen whirled around and stumbled back, pressing himself up against a wall as he tried to find the origin of the loud, booming voice. It had a bit of a thick accent, but he had managed to understand it. At least, he thought he did. He didn’t even pay attention to what it was saying. “Sh-show yourself! I’m not scared of you, you cowardly nerd.”

“Says th’ person who screams like a girl.” The voice responded, a little quieter this time.

He huffed and placed his hands on his hips, jutting out his chest to try and show that he was brave enough to take on a challenge. He wasn’t just going to let this mystery man doubt his masculinity. “Lies! I was uh- I was practicing some vocal talent..stuff. And that didn’t answer my question, come out here and show yourself.”

Emil felt intimidating, but deep down inside he knew it wasn’t going to work. A frail awkward teen in batman pajamas? Not the epitome of scary. 

“Mhm...Sure.” He heard a few soft and pained grunts along with some rustling coming from one of the corners, “Jus’ give me a second. I’d rather look presentable if ya want ta see me.”

The teen shakily sighed as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms while he kept his eyes glued to the corner. This wasn’t like his usual dreams. His usual dreams where chaotic and tense, filling him with a sense of horror and dread. Though even if there was someone to socialize in this vision, there was something off. If they were in a dungeon, would he get attacked by this stranger? It only made sense- this could be another nightmare.

Emil was too busy trying to be a detective and figure out how to deal with the situation that he didn’t notice the tall figure step out of the shadow. Anyone could tell at first glance that this stranger was a man. His build seemed to be muscular and hard, but his body was covered by a clean suit that hugged his body snugly in a few places. Sure, his didn’t really match the ‘doom and gloom’ theme of the dungeon, but he looked quite handsome in it. The only thing that ruined this man from looking like a complete Prince Charming was his intimidating height and stare. 

When he looked up at the stranger, he stepped back instinctively. He seemed so regal and powerful, but his piercing stare did seem a little broken. “J-jeez, what is a businessman doing in a place like this?” 

The man rolled his eyes and placed his hands behind his back, looking down at the much smaller teen, “Nothin’ much, jus’ hangin’ around.”

 

“And hanging around for you is reciting hamlet and scaring the crap out of people?”

The man shrugged, “What? Is a man not allowed ta enjoy shakespeare? ‘S a great way ta pass the time. I have all the plays memorized.” He tapped the side of his head before he stepped back a bit, probably noticing the way Emil squirmed uncomfortably.

“Jeez, you must have no life.”

“Look who’s talkin’.”

Emil huffed and crossed his arms indignantly, turning his head away from the stranger in a stubborn manner. Once he had looked away, his eyes widened at the bloody weapons lined against the tiled walls along with the chains hanging down from several different heights. Yep, he was probably dead. Though before he could ask where they were, a deep blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the room, making him step back and quickly cover his ears. “W-what the hell…”

The stranger didn’t seem to react much. He just blinked and shook his head, running a hand quickly through his hair as he let out a long sigh. “Apologies for the Agonized screaming, I think I’m being tortured.”

Emil didn’t bother pointing out his sudden accent change, he just blinked at him in confusion. He wasn’t the smartest person alive, but he did have a right to be utterly confused about how this guy could be in two places at once. This guy was probably houdini. The man noticed his blank look and shook his head, waving his hand a bit in dismissal. “I’ll get to that in a moment, don’t worry. I’m running out of time, so let’s get down to business.”

The teen stood still as he watched Mr.Houdini Jr. adjust his glasses, the lenses glinting slightly in the dim light of the torch. “I am King Berwald. I’m the god of knowledge, leadership, Heroes and Crafts... and I need your help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's so short, I've been a bit busy lately- but hopefully I'll make up for it in the next chapter! I might come back and edit this story, so sorry if there are any mistakes ;3;  
> -Mamma


	3. Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Emil," he interrupted, "I'm as real as it can get. Listen, I can't speak for long. You and your friend are our only hope. It'll get hard, sure, but that's what life is. It's not something you can just glide through without a scratch. By the end of this, you're going to be scarred, battered and almost dead." he drew in a shaky breath, his brows furrowing as he winced in pain, "this is the fate of a hero. There is no escaping it."

**Chapter 3 - Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy?**

He really wished someone would have warned him that his life would spiral down into chaos.

He expected for his life to go on normally, or, well, as normally as it could go. He expected to graduate and get a stupid job and live out his stupid life, but the world just really hated him, did it? Now the teen was probably going crazy over all that happened in just a span of the two measly hours that he will probably hate for the rest of his life.

“I’m sorry, What?”

Berwald sighed and rubbed his face, his figure slumping forward a bit like he was about to collapse onto the floor. The poor guy looked so lost and helpless, maybe a bit angry at the world. Or maybe he was just about ready to give up on Emil. “Look...I don’t have much time, so we have to make this quick.”

He nodded silently and watched him, waiting for the 'God' to continue.

"We're all in danger... You are all in danger." He paused for a quick second to cough in his hand, wincing. "None of us are safe anymore. My brother has stolen something vitally important from my lover, and if no one get's it back...he'll die. And so will all of you."

Emil furrowed his brow and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Great. Now his dreams were trying to make things worse. If his mind's goal was to stress him out even more, then it was seriously working. His mind deserved a promotion for being a total pain in the ass. "Look, your holiness...highness...mister Berwald. I've already had it up to here-" he placed his hand on the top of his head, "-with life. I really just want to die right now if you want me to be honest."

He honestly had enough. He was tired and still in shock from what happened earlier. He had just watched an entire building collapse on top of his brother and a lot of other people while his best friend friend let him die. He was still so confused with everything and he wanted to scream.

"I understand what you're going through. But please...If you don't do this, you'll have nothing left. He'll stop at nothing to bring misery to this world." Berwald stepped forward and placed his hands on the teen's shoulders, making emil wince.

He brushed off his hands and shook his head, stepping away. "Please, leave me alone.. And why is this thing so important? How important is your lover?"

"He's the god of Nature. He created practically everything in existence- he's practically mother nature." He sighed sadly and looked away, a look of pain evident in his unnaturally bright turqouise eyes. "If he dies, then it's the end of the world."

A heavy lump formed in his throat and he shook slightly. Realising how stupid he looked, he crossed his arms and pretended he was just cold. Hey, the possible end of the world was coming, but fear cannot be shown. No matter how dire the situation, emotions were absolutely not allowed.

Was the world really about to end? Sure, a tiny part of him couldn't wait for the sweet release of death, but the majority of him was thinking sensibly. Sure he wasn't happy with himself, but did he really want to let so many innocent people perish just because Emil wasn't fine enough to get off his butt and help a poor god. A storm of thoughts and emotions brewed in his head, twisting and churning uncontrollably, almost making him sick.

Was this the real life? Or was this just fantasy?

Berwald stood in front of him, tapping his foot impatiently against the stone floor while Emil mused over his thoughts. "Emil, I need yer help. Badly. I chose ya because i know you can do this."

"This isn't true..."

"Hm?"

"This is just a stupid dream- everything's okay. You don't exist-"

"Emil," he interrupted, "I'm as real as it can get. Listen, I can't speak for long. You and your friend are our only hope. It'll get hard, sure, but that's what life is. It's not something you can just glide through without a scratch. By the end of this, you're going to be scarred, battered and almost dead." he drew in a shaky breath, his brows furrowing as he winced in pain, "this is the fate of a hero. There is no escaping it."

The teen bit his lip and and looked around him nervously, "I-"

He was quickly interrupted by a loud bang and he jumped in surprise, his hand pressing against his rapidly beating heart. Before he could ask any questions, he heard loud swears echo in the air, a harsh voice hurling sick insults at no one in particular. Berwald cringed and sighed, shaking his head while the screaming raged on. "Sorry 'bout that, I can't block it out anymore." "W-who is that?"

"That's my brother, the one doing all of this. Don' worry, he's on his man period like always." The god smirked and crossed his arms, a small wince evident on his face. "So, are you in?"

Emil slumped his shoulders and looked up at him, his head still swarming with questions and emotions that he didn't know how to convey, "I just..." He sighed, "I don't...I-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a howling scream tore through the air and the floor trembled underneath him until everything caved in on top of him, encasing him in rubble and hard stone, the world around him going dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, sorry for the late update (and the short chapter...). I haven't been very inspired and I've had to re-write this chapter a lot of times before it seemed decent enough to publish.
> 
> Please leave a comment, they really make my day. Constructive criticism and feedback is always welcome!


	4. Shadow Dogs and Strange Women Have no Chill. Well. Neither do I.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was so worked up about the dream that he didn’t notice the way the lights flickered like mad and the way the shadows around him stretched until he heard a gentle whisper in his ear and his heart practically jolted out of his chest.
> 
> A chill ran up his spine and he quickly turned around, slapping a hand on his ear instinctively as he scanned the sidewalk behind him to see if there was some sly creep trying to kidnap him.
> 
> It was empty.

-Chapter 4- 

When Emil opened his eyes, he gasped for breath and sat up, clutching his chest as he tried to get his lungs to start working properly. The room was dark except for the pale light of the crescent moon hanging in the sky, peeking shyly out from behind a building. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and continued to tremble for a few seconds, his heart going wild from the way that dream took a turn.

 

Once he came to his senses, he felt a weight on his waist and turned to his right to see Leon sleeping on the edge of the small bed, holding onto the Icelandic so he wouldn’t fall off the side and end up sleeping on the floor as he snored and drooled blissfully. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair before shifting Leon’s arm away from him to crawl off the bed, trying to be as gentle and silent as possible, even though the other was probably able to sleep through a nuclear war. 

 

The teen tiptoed through the dark room, bumping his hip against the desk along the way, wincing when the digital clock tipped over the side and tumbled onto the floor, probably leaving a little dent on the wooden floor. He stood still for a moment before relaxing slightly when he heard the loud snores coming from the teen. He quickly grabbed one of Leon’s jackets and left the room, shuffling slowly out of the apartment and down to the tight market street that still had a few people milling around, even though it was 3 AM. 

 

Walking down the sidewalk, he tried to think over the dream he had last night. The words Berwald had spoken were imbedded deep into him, twisting and churning in his mind until his head ached.  _ “"None of us are safe anymore. My brother has stolen something vitally important from my lover, and if no one get's it back...he'll die. And so will all of you."”  _

 

_ “Why can’t you gods get it back?”  _ He wanted to ask, “ _ You guys are more powerful, why do I have to do this?’  _

 

He felt a bit like a brat, thinking that way- but it was true. He had no reason to go on this stupid quest, especially when it was so important. Especially when it could bring the end of the world.  _ ‘I’m a nobody’  _ he thought, ‘ _ That god of wisdom is probably a bit dumber than I thought.’ _

 

He reached around the corner of the last building on the street, cars passing him as he made his way to the nearest park that nestled in the city. Shadows danced against the wall beside him and the street light above him flickered slightly. A cat sitting on a windowsill followed Emil with its gaze, it’s green eyes seeming to shine in the darkness before jumping down onto the ground and scampering off. Everything seemed awfully quiet.

 

The teen let out a shaky breath and looked up at the sky as he tried to calm himself down. Nothing was going to happen. ‘ _ It was only a dumb dream. Gods don’t exist, especially those with a name like  _ Berwald _.’ _

 

He muttered those phrases over and over under his breath, staring down at the dirty snow that was starting to melt from all the salt that was thrown onto it a few hours ago. He was so worked up about the dream that he didn’t notice the way the lights flickered like mad and the way the shadows around him stretched until he heard a gentle whisper in his ear and his heart practically jolted out of his chest.

 

A chill ran up his spine and he quickly turned around, slapping a hand on his ear instinctively as he scanned the sidewalk behind him to see if there was some sly creep trying to kidnap him.

 

It was empty.

 

He held his breath in fear and screwed his eyes shut as the whispering continued, slowly growing louder and louder, the voices doubling in numbers as they spoke at different paces, seeming to speak gibberish. Something in him made the teen open his eyes and something on the wall caught his attention, making him slowly crane his head to the side, a lump instantly forming in his throat.

 

On the wall, the shadows started to slowly change form, gliding on the surface before they stuck to the form of a wolf, their red eyes glinting slightly, peering into the vulnerable teen’s soul. Soon, they slid down to the ground and took shape, sticking to the dark patches of the sidewalk as they stalked up to him. Emil backed up slowly and turned on his heel, breaking into a fast sprint as he tried to escape those  _ things. _

 

Emil twisted and turned down the sidewalk, slipping and sliding on the melting snow that riddled the concrete sidewalk. The whispers continued to haunt his ears but he tried to ignore them, as they weren’t his main priority at the moment. He kept bumping against poles and signs but he didn’t stop to whine and fawn over his bruises. He had time for nothing else but running. 

 

The teen ran across the empty road and onto the sidewalk opposite him and onto a patch of snow-covered grass, trying his best to stay away from the shadiest areas of (what he thought to be) the park. The low growling of the beasts made his heart pang when he heard them. They sounded so vile, so cruel- he could practically feel all the rage and hunger in those monsters as they chased him throughout the entire city. 

 

His feet started to ache but he pushed himself on, running around hysterically like a frightened prey before he noticed an orange light peeking behind the trees. He licked his chapped lips nervously and decided to make a run for it. Even if he had to pass under the dark shade of the trees.

Stumbling through the barrier of trunks and leaves, he reached a quaint playground with swings and jungle gyms and slides small enough to keep little children safe from falling and snapping a leg in half. He struggled to run through the sand and cursed when he felt himself slow down, hearing the thumping of the creatures quickly approach him. Desperately, Emil picked up an abandoned plastic bucket and filled it with sand before pathetically throwing it at the closest beast, which hit it on the head and made it stumble back in confusion. The teen took it as a chance to keep running before he got devoured, and sprinted for the nearest street-lamp, clinging onto the pole in fear as he stood directly underneath the bright light. 

 

The thumping of the beasts grew louder, making a gruelling noise as they approached the cowering teen before they stopped right at the border of the light, hissing and screeching in pain. Emil puffed out his chest and picked up a small plastic spade from the ground, holding it out like a weapon. “Yeah that’s right- I’m way stronger than you. Fear me!”

 

The beasts growled as their eyes glowed brighter and the group circled Emil, some of them multiplying into other beasts so they could grow greater and greater in number. He gulped and trembled slightly before taking a deep breath. This light was his only hope. If it turned off, he was definitely dead meat. He had to think of a plan quick.

 

He saw a beast approach cautiously and Emil let out a quick scream, waving his spade of glory in the air to try and ward it off. He didn’t know if he succeeded or not, but the fact that he was still alive was good enough for him. “Ha ha! Beat that, suckers.” he taunted. “You’ll never get a piece of this juicy meat-”

 

A loud pop resonated through the park and flakes of glass fell on top of Emil’s hair like snow, his heart going still when he realized the lamp exploded. Laughing nervously, he backed up blindly, “O-okay no worries- j-just a joke, right? No hard feelings? We’re all good, yeah?”

 

He heard a loud barking and broke into a sprint, barely missing one of the beasts who tried to lash out and bite his calf. He stumbled to one of the tunneled slides and pushed himself up on top of it, climbing up the tube in desperation before reaching the top. He squeezed his eyes shut  and held his breath, trembling in fear as he waited for the worst. It was a life well lived.

 

Well,

 

Not really. 

 

Two hands grabbed him and pulled him backwards, making him hit his head against one of the railings of the Jungle Gym, making him wince. Looking around frantically, he saw the silhouette of a girl jump onto the sand, brandishing a silver trident that glinted in the dim moonlight before it sunk deep into one of the shadowed creatures, pushing it back.  The woman pushed the forked weapon deeper into its side before an explosion of light burst from the weapon, illuminating the dark sky for a quick second before it disappeared. Emil’s eyes stung from the flash and blinked repeatedly, trying his best to see again so he could understand what was happening.

 

“You should be more careful, my child.”

 

A warm, soft womanly voice reached his ears, putting him quickly at ease. Once his eyes focused, he saw a girl crouching beside him. The teen was almost completely covered up in black clothing, making her blend into the dark winter night. Her hair was tied up into low pigtails but her long, thick curls strained against the hair ties. Her smooth skin seemed like milk chocolate under the soft moonlight, but what got to Emil the most, was her eyes.

 

Her irises constantly shifted from color to color, shining brightly and bringing light to her features. Emil could feel his breath leave his body as he stared into her hypnotic eyes, making his head feel light. He snapped his attention away from his face when she spoke.

 

“You are not safe here.”

 

Her voice didn’t exactly match her body. She had the physique of a teen, someone with an age similar to Emil’s, but her voice sounded like something older, almost more ancient. “U-uhm..Wait, who are you?”

 

“I have no time for introductions.” She quickly responded, “You must be prepared.”

 

The teen winced slightly when she placed her cold hands on his cheek, her irises brightening as she let out a long breath. Emil looked around awkwardly and tried to move his face away, but the lady had a pretty strong grip on him. 

 

_ ‘The beast lets out a bellowing roar, _

_ The lost hero shall rise once more. _

_ And amidst the waking call, _

_ One shall face their fated fall.’ _

 

“U-uh, lady-?”

 

_ ‘When the sun has lost it’s breath, _

_ The crumbling earth shall see it’s death. _

_ A lone warrior buried in strife, _

_ Shall retrieve the staff of life.’ _

 

Emil let out a breath and ripped his face out of her hands, quickly standing up. “L-listen, you’ve got the wrong guy here-” 

“Go.”

 

“What?”

 

“Go to your destiny.” The girl let out a final breath before collapsing, laying on the jungle-gym platform next to the tubed slide. He blinked in surprise and cautiously walked over to her, shaking her shoulder lightly. “U-uh, hello..?”

 

As soon as he touched her, her eyes flew open and she sat up again, looking around in alarm. Her irises had shifted instantly to a Honey-brown color and the girl stood up. Emil backed up in surprise before the girl jumped over the railing and landing on the sand. “H-hey, wait a minute!”

 

The girl threw a glance back at him and gave a wave, “Don’t worry, I always wake up in strange places. I would stay and talk, but my mom will skin me alive!” She shook her head before turning on her heel and rushing out of the park, running down the street, disappearing from Emil’s sight. He tried to run after her but the girl was way faster than he thought and his legs gave out underneath him, making him fall and scrape his hands against the cold asphalt.

 

He saw the sun slowly start to rise and he struggled to get up to his feet, his eyes drooping heavily from fatigue. He saw the familiar form of Leon run up to him and he felt an arm hook around him, pulling him properly up to his feet. “Emil, what the hell are you doing!?”

 

Emil muttered back a response and turned away, slumping forward a bit. “You could have gotten killed out here! Come on,” he adjusted his hold on Emil and started walking forward, “Let’s get home before everyone wakes up, or else we’re dead meat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, but chapter 4 is finally here!


	5. I Want a Divorce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I feel like a husband trying to calm down his wife after an argument.”
> 
> “Well if that were the case, I would demand a divorce immediately.”

-Chapter 5-

The cold air swept around the teen as he sat on the roof of the apartment building, his legs dangling dangerously over the side as he looked on in the distance. While Leon’s family was happily asleep, the large city remained wide awake, buzzing with life. The shining lights of the nightclubs and the car lights coming from the roads were so bright they put the stars in hiding. But the beautiful scenery was disturbed by a dark smear where all light and life was sucked out. Where his old home used to be.

 

Letting out a shaky breath and hunching his back slightly, he tore his gaze from the horizon so he was looking down at the street below.

 

It was unusually quiet, especially with the lack of Leon to pester him constantly with his stories and ideas. Was it really a nuisance? He didn’t know, but he wished that there was some other noise apart from the distant sound of traffic and his own reoccurring thoughts. He wondered why his friend didn’t come running up to him to scold him for sitting on the edge and risking his life. Maybe it was because of the argument they just had. Maybe it was because of those harsh words that were exchanged between the two as they had to resist the urge to scream eat each other. Sure, shadow beasts were scary and all. But leon’s mom could send those monsters crying to the master if she wanted to. Waking her up would mean the immediate death of the teens.

 

He gripped onto the edge of his perch tightly as a strong gust of wind blew past him, making his heart lurch into his throat. He wasn’t a big fan of heights, but he wanted to stay as far away from Leon as possible.

 

Emil screwed his eyes shut as hi thoughts started to grow louder and louder until the words of that girl were so loud he couldn’t think straight His breath was coming short and he clutched his spinning head, clawing at his scalp and tugging at his hair as if it would help the situation at hand. The words, the whispers, he dream- why couldn’t anyone leave him alone? 

 

His eyes started to sting as they brimmed with tears and he blinked rapidly to try and stop them. ‘Go to your destiny’, ‘the crumbling earth shall see it’s death’, ‘this is the fate of a hero. There is no escaping it.’

 

As soon as his body started to tremble, he felt a thick material drape onto his shoulders, encasing him with a familiar warmth that could only belong to his friend, Leon. And yes, it was totally normal to recognize people’s warmth.

 

He didn’t turn to look at his companion as he nervously sat down on the edge next to emil, who moved away a few inches. “Em…”

 

“I’m not talking to you.”

 

“Emil, please. Listen to me.”

Emil ignored him, resulting in a sigh from the teen beside him. “C’mon, stop being such a hermit. It’s getting annoying.”

 

“If it really annoys you, then go away or something. I’m not forcing you to stay here.”

 

“We really need to talk about all this. It’s serious, especially with what the woman said.”

 

“What does it matter? That girl was probably crazy. You weren’t there, you didn’t witness the way she talked and grabbed my face. Everything she said probably means nothing.” He took a shuddering breath and crossed his arms tightly over his chest, looking down at his lap. “And you already had the chance to talk to me like a decent human being, but it’s too late for that now.”

 

“I’m sorry, okay?”

 

Leon reached out to take his arm but Emil moved it away, sliding further from the other teen to try and avoid him. He could feel leon’s hazel eyes stare at the back of his head and he felt dumb arguing to him like this. That didn’t mean he would stop. He had a point and he was right. He was not going to give into him.

 

“I feel like a husband trying to calm down his wife after an argument.”

 

“Well if that were the case, I would demand a divorce immediately.”

 

Leon let out a dry chuckle and moved closer to him again, almost cornering the icelandic teen. “C’mon, I’m really sorry. I was all pent up and pissed off and frustrated and I took it all out on you.” he breathed out. “So let’s just put this all behind us, alright? Let’s just think about all this weird stuff going on, alright?”

 

Emil sighed and moved off the ledge so he was sitting away from the edge. He pulled his knees up and placed his chin on them, letting out a few gentle breaths as he thought to himself. “The gods…”

 

“Eh?”

 

“I dunno, but when I was sleeping I had a dream.”

 

Leon’s eyes widened and he stood up, quickly moving to sit in front of Emil with a curious and alarmed look in his eyes. “Who was it? How did they look like? What did they say? What happened- is everything okay-”

 

“I was getting to that, you dimwit.” he lightly smacked the top of his friend’s head and rolled his eyes. “As I was saying, I had a dream. This guy called Berwald said he was the god of wisdom and other stuff- he recited some hamlet, scared the crap out of me, told me about some quest I had to take, then there was a scream and I woke up.”

 

A silence fell on them and Leon bit his lip as he stared down at his hands pensively, his brown bangs hanging covering his eyes and hiding them from the world. Emil didn’t say anything else about the unsettling dream, as he waited patiently for his friend’s reaction.

 

“What does the quest call for?”

 

Emil blinked and frowned in confusion, straightening his back slightly as he studied the asian boy’s features. He seemed awfully calm about all of this. “Wait, how are you so calm about all this? I was attacked by some shadow things and now I’m talking about gods and quests and you’re treating it like it’s a normal thing.”

 

“Of course I am. I know about the gods- I’ve known about them since I was, like, ten.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“I wasn’t allowed to. Anyways, what is the purpose of the quest? What do they need?”

 

“He said that this other guy took this thing called ‘the staff of life’ from his lover and that the world would end if I didn’t get it back. What is it? What’s that thing for?”

 

Leon seemed to have paled, but it was hard to see in the dark. Emil cautiously reached out and nudged his shoulder, worried that his companion would be sick or would faint. After a few more moments of silence, Leon’s crackling voice spoke up. “That man must be crazy to steal something like that…”

 

“What?”

“The Staff of Life is one of the most important things in this world- Hell, it’s the most important thing in existence! It maintains life and keeps the god of nature strong. Without it, he’s vulnerable.” He lowered his voice slightly at the last part, looking around nervously. “With the way things are going now, if he doesn’t get it back, we’re all done for. Emil, I’m coming with you on that quest-”

 

“Leon, I don’t know if I’m even going!”

 

“Are you crazy?” he said, his voice shuddering and cracking as it raised suddenly. “You need to go! You’re going to get everyone killed if you don’t. What about the prophecy?”

 

“What about it? She said ‘When the sun has lost it’s breath, The crumbling earth shall see it’s death.’ It’s going to die anyways, there’s nothing I can do about it.” He took a shuddering breath and buried his face in his knees, “Even if I get it back, nothing will change. Don’t you get it? It’s all useless..”

 

The Cantonese boy stared at him for a few moments and reached out, placing his hand on his shoulder. “Whether that’s true or not, you need to do this. And.. I’ll come with you. You need to have someone that knows at least a thing or two about these gods. And once this is over, you can kick me in the balls and ‘divorce’ me or whatever and it’ll be back to normal.”

 

Emil blinked and sighed looking up at the horizon as an orange and yellow hue appeared from beyond, it’s light licking the night sky and pushing it back so the day would come. He watched the stars disappear and he relaxed, holding his hand out in defeat. “Alright, deal…”

 

Leon grinned triumphantly and shook his hand, but didn’t move closer to him. He could still feel a small sense of hostility radiating from the other. “Also, how do you know so much about those gods..?”

 

“Oh, that? I’m a demigod, so I know a thing or two.”

 

Great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late post, my last computer stopped working and I lost my draft for chapter 5.


	6. Hey Hey Hey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You should start going before your intentions are found out. I’ll be waiting for you guys to bring it back- show me how brave and heroic you two can be.” He grinned and picked up his comic again, opening it to the page he was on. “Make my father proud.”

\---Chapter 6---

 

No matter the time of day or the day of the week, the streets of new york were always buzzing with life. Men and women bustled through the sidewalks, speeding through crowds in a hurry to get to work on time or to run up to a friend. Some people just took their time and had a leisurely walk, sometimes angering the person behind them who was in a haste. Cars rushed by on the road regardless of the melting snow, not caring if they would veer off and cause an accident or drive straight into one of the buildings part of the large concrete jungle of Manhattan. Stores and Kiosks lined the sidewalk showing off different menu items from several cultures, their small seating areas were clogged with customers trying to grab a quick breakfast.

Emil wasn’t a fan of huge cities even though he was raised in one for his whole life. It was always so crowded and loud, and sometimes he would see people get mugged in the alleyway between his apartment building and the one beside him, which used to scare him as a child.  

The two teens walked down the streets with bags hefted onto their shoulders, having spent the morning preparing for the long journey ahead of them while Leon tried his best to explain things to his Mother, who was slightly distraught. It was a bit strange when the woman handed a sword to Leon, whose handle seemed worn and ancient but the blade remained new and sharp- but he wasn’t complaining. At least now they had a way to protect themselves somehow from shadow dogs and crazy poetry-fanatic girls. 

“Alright then. So.. What do we do now?”

Emil turned to look at his companion, who had his hands shoved into his pockets as he shivered slightly from the cold air. He was receiving some strange looks from pedestrians who saw the sword dangle from his side, but the teen didn’t really seem to care about it.

“Dunno...This is my first time doing something like this. I have no idea what’s going anyways. Do we just, like, follow the prophecy?”

“I guess so, but we need a starting point. We need to get the staff of life back, right? Do you at least know who took it? Did anyone tell you?”

Emil stared down at his feet, his shoulders brushing against people who tried to squeeze past him. His mind went back to the vivid dream about Berwald and his brows furrowed as he tried to remember their conversation clearly. “His..His brother, I think. That’s what he said. I don’t remember if he said his name or anything..”

“His brother, huh? He’s going crazy again.” He sighed and shook his head before throwing a glance at Emil, who was staring at him in confusion. “He has the habit of losing control sometimes.”

“Again?”

“Ah, it happened millions of years ago. Berwald’s brother, Matthias, lost his mind and went crazy. No one knows how it happened, many people came up with different theories about it but none of them were ever confirmed. Anyways- It's best not to talk about it. It's a pretty touchy subject for some."

Emil listened to him silently and nodded, his brows furrowing. They rounded a corner and stopped at a zebra crossing, waiting for the light to turn green so they could cross onto the other side. Where are they going, you might ask?

They had no idea.

They hoped that they would be struck with a sudden burst of inspiration if they wandered around long enough. But it’s already been almost an hour and no one came up with a grand idea to help boost their quest. How the hell were they going to get the staff of life if they didn’t even know where it was?

“Good to know. But we have to figure out where to go. Where would Matthias be hiding the staff of life?”

“Dunno, but I think we have to reach Europe somehow. All the gods have a country that they watch over or personify- they’re kinda like a patron god? Except they affect history too sometimes. And Matthias watches over Denmark, so we should at least go there-”

“Denmark?  _ Denmark?  _ I’m sorry Leon, but how the hell do we get to  _ Denmark?  _ We’re not made out of money! Maybe it’s hiding somewhere here in this country-”

“Doubt it. The patron god of this country is pretty strong. He wouldn’t just hide it here..”

Emil let out a sigh of exasperation and rubbed his face in irritation, accidentally bumping into a few people passing him by. This was great- this was just fabulous. He had never been happier in his life. 

He stopped his walk to take a short break and leaned against the side of one of the buildings, standing next to one of the hot dog stands flocked with hungry tourists and citizens, some of them taking pictures of everything around them while they waited patiently in line, mainly pointing their camera at the Empire State Building, which was standing proudly right in front of them. Leon stepped beside him and slid down so he was squatting on the floor next to his feet, his brows furrowed in thought as silence fell between them. Not that he was complaining about it or anything.

The teen gently pulled out the  necklace from underneath his shirt and looked at the small compass, watching as the small needle twitch and spin as he moved it around in his hand. A shuddering breath left his lips as he ran a finger gently over the surface before he noticed a large man stop in front of him, blocking the small sun-light that was struggling to shine through the buildings and towards him.

Before Emil could look up or step aside, the man threw his hand out and grasped the necklace before giving a rough tug, ripping it off from it’s place around the teen’s neck. He yelped and lashed out to try and grab it back but the thief was already running off, darting into the fire exit of the Empire State building and disappearing from sight. Leon stood up beside him and yelled out when he saw the icelandic run off behind him, trying to stop him from getting hurt before sighing and chasing after his friend. 

\--.--

They were only halfway up to the top of the building and their legs were already giving up on them. The burns in their calves put the flames of hell to shame and their lungs were as dry and shrivelled as raisins as they gasped desperately for air, but they pushed on. The man in front of them didn’t seem to be suffering like them, as he was gliding up the stairs like it was nothing.

This is why you should never miss leg day.

Or why you should work out.

Because one day, a dumb thief will escape into a big-ass building and you, being dumber, will decide to chase after him instead of calling the cops. Because who needs logic when you’re a panicked teen?

Leon wheezed loudly Behind Emil, stuttering and coughing out different words and sounds as he practically dragged himself up the steps with the help of the railing he was clinging onto. Emil didn’t bother to turn around or to help his companion up, keeping his eyes glued onto the thief as if he would disappear as soon as he blinked or looked away for even the slightest second.

The floor numbers flew past his head as he kept rounding corner after corner, climbing higher and higher, sweat beading down his forehead.  _ 73… 74… 75… _ Why did America have to make such huge buildings?

His chest tightened and he wheezed, his throat shriveling up and hurting- but he pushed on, glaring up at the man who was always one floor ahead of them. Damn that thief. His stair climbing skills were way beyond that of a regular man. Not even Usain Bolt could run up 102 flights of stairs. 

He heard a thud behind him and spared a second to just glance back at his friend, only to see him lay on the steps panting desperately before trying to push himself up. It surprised him that Leon was struggling, especially since he was the more athletic one between the two. Before he could lose this race, he turned his eyes back forward and continued to spring up the stairs, wondering why no security guard was after them. 

Soon, Emil reached the top of the stairs leading up to the roof and bolted through the wide-open double doors, squinting at the sudden burst of sunlight hitting his eyes. He shook his head and saw the man standing near the edge, staring back at Emil, a black scarf and hat covering most of his face, sunglasses perched onto his nose. The teen smirked and stepped up to him, his legs shaking slightly before reaching out. “Give it back- you have nowhere to run.”

The man stared at him silently, standing in front of emil like a statue before he squirmed. His body kept twisting and turning, slowly shrinking and shrinking. Before he knew it, the stranger seemed to have disappeared, a bald eagle standing on the edge with the necklace clutched in it’s beak. Emil jumped forward again but the bird took off, flying away from the teen towards the sea far off into the distance. 

Just then, Leon decided to join the party, still gasping for breath as he stumbled up to Emil before falling onto his knees in exhaustion. “Hey… Wh-where’s that guy..? Did he jump?”

Emil continued to stare at the bird with a pale face, pointing into the direction in went without turning to look at his companion. “He just.. He just turned into a bird and flew away and… and… What the hell!?”

 

Leon frowned and pushed himself up, glancing over to the direction Emil was pointing at. “Liberty Island? Don’t tell me that some dumb magician stole your necklace and took it to liberty island.”

 

“You have got to be kidding me…”

 

\--.--

 

It took a few hours, but the boys finally found themselves standing on the pier of the small island, Lady Liberty herself facing away from them as she stared out into the horizon, watching out for ships. Emil waited for the group of tourists they came with to walk off with their guide before making his way onto the island, Leon in tow.

 

“Tell me again why we’re going after this necklace? We can always just buy another one, no one will know the difference.”

 

“Because Lukas gave it to me and It might be important.”

 

“It sure doesn’t look important.”

 

“One more word out of you and I’m shoving you into the sea.”

 

Leon gave a hefty chuckle and walked up to Emil, sliding an arm around his shoulders before dragging him off and away from the shore, stepping onto the pathway leading to the center of the island where people were milling around. 

 

The icelandic looked around quickly, trying to spot a masked man or an eagle anywhere, making this island ten times more american than before. He felt a nudge at his side and turned to look at his friend with a cocked brow, only to find him pointing towards a bench where a blonde man was silently reading a comic book. He was about to scoff before he noticed an eagle perched on his shoulder, staring at the pages as if it was reading as well.

 

Emil pushed his friend away and marched over to the bench angrily, weaving through a few group of people before he stood in front of the reading man.

 

He took a moment to scrutinize the other, taking in his form and his face. His skin was tan in a proper, natural way and his bright baby blue eyes glinted behind his glasses as he thoughtfully read through an old issue of Marvel’s Thor, taking in all the pictures and action eagerly, his head tucked into a blue winter hat. He seemed almost like a stereotypical college-aged nerd, except he was sporting some muscle. 

 

Emil gulped and put on a frown, trying to stop himself from ogling this stranger. “U-uhm, excuse me?”

 

The man in front of him snapped his eyes up to the teen and lowered his comic book, cocking a brow before grinning, flashing his pearly white teeth. “Hey, need help with anything? Ya lost? I know this land like the back of my hand, kid.”

 

“E-er, right..” He glanced over to leon before sighing. “I think that eagle of yours took my.. Uh, my necklace from me.”

 

He half expected the guy to laugh at him or wave him off, but instead, he turned to the eagle with a pout and huffed, “Abe, what did I tell you about stealing?” The eagle responded and fluttered it’s (his?) wings. “I don’t care how shiny it looked, you can’t do that!”

 

Emil stepped away in slight surprise and glanced over at Leon again almost in desperation. His friend laughed and shuffled up to the bench, standing beside the icelandic as he watched the scene unfold. A few people nearby turned to look at them before shaking their head and getting back to their business, probably thinking that man was crazy.

 

“Uh, listen- I just want it back.”

 

The man glanced at him and nodded before putting his eagle down onto the bench, who walked away awkwardly before returning with the teen’s gold necklace in it’s beak. Emil quickly took it from him and gave a sigh of relief as he put it around his neck again. “Thanks…”

 

“No prob, Emil.”

 

Emil stiffened and his eyes widened, looking down at the young adult who was grinning back up at him. “What- how do you know me?”

 

“I heard about you. Mainly from my dad- said you were going on a quest, yea?”

 

Leon frowned and stepped forward, his arms crossed over his chest. “Who told you? What else do you know?”

 

The stranger chuckled and held out his hands, leaving his copy of Thor beside him. “Hey hey hey- relax, dude. I’m on your side. My dad told me. He didn’t tell me much else though. Honestly speaking I haven’t been very caught up on what’s been going on with the gods recently.”

 

Emil didn’t buy his crappy excuses and moved closer to Leon, almost stepping behind him. “Who are you?”

 

“I have a bunch of names, but I usually go with Alfred. Call me Al though, I trust you two enough.” 

 

Emil felt Leon’s arm stiffen and looked up at him quizzically before the cantonese boy spoke up shakily. “I- Alfred? Of course- The eagle, the eyes that shine like stars..” Before he could say anything else, he gave a sharp bow, surprising everyone in the vicinity except for Al. “Alfred, god of heroes and bravery, it is an honor to be in your presence. I wish you well-”

 

Alfred let out a chuckle and sat up, waving him off before pushing Leon up from his bow. “Hey hey hey- no need for that dumb formality crap. We’re on good terms with each other. No need to bow. At least not here- probably only in the presence of my dad or whatever.”

 

Emil watched the two of them talk before awkwardly giving a quick bow, not wanting to seem disrespectful even if he excused the two of them. He then frowned and cleared his throat, “U-uh, hold on.. I heard someone else say he was the god of Heroes too. His name was Berwald or something?”

 

Al gave a hum and stretched his back as he answered, his eyes screwed shut. “Oh- him being the god of heroes is a minor thing. I’m the one that focuses on it more, ya know? I got that from him. Like father like son.” He sighed and leaned forward, looking between the two teens. “Now then, what do you need to get back? 

 

Leon responded, taking on a respectful tone like when he was talking to a teacher or his mother. “The staff of life. It was stolen and the god of nature is slowly dying.”

 

Alfred’s eyes widened and it felt like the world fell silent. Emil didn’t know if the people on the island went silent at the news or whether he had drowned out the noise without knowing- but it was awfully unsettling. Especially when the god’s wide grin disappeared. 

 

The icelandic stuttered out, “C-can you help us?” 

 

Alfred continued to stay quiet, staring down at his lap pensively before giving a sigh and slumping back, surprising the eagle who was walking around between Alfred’s back and the back of the bench. “I would love to, kid. I really do. Especially when so much is at stake. But my weapon’s been missing and I can’t do anything without it… don’t tell anyone else about it, alright? I didn’t say anything-”

 

Emil interrupted him and stepped forward, “Your weapon? Where is it? What does it look like?”

 

“Hey Hey Hey, easy kid. It’s somewhere on this island- but I can’t sense it’s presence so easily. Someone hid it from me and if I want to fight, I need it back.”

 

Leon stuttered out, “Um.. We already kinda have our hands full-”

 

“I can help get you guys to europe. That’s where you’re heading off to, right? I know a guy that can get you there, but you have to help me out first. Deal?”

 

Emil didn’t think about it. He was so desperate to get this quest over and done with that he didn’t care what deals he made. Even if they were a deal with the devil. “Yeah, we will. Won’t we, Leon?”

Leon stared at his friend for a moment before sighing and nodding.

 

“Great- thanks a lot, guys. Anyways- it’s a bayonet. I know it’s somewhere on this island but I can’t reach it. There’s a barrier placed on the shore of this island that has been keeping me trapped here for months. It’s stronger at the Statue of Liberty, so it could be there. Or maybe not- that think could be into trickery.”

 

“What thing-”

  
“You should start going before your intentions are found out. I’ll be waiting for you guys to bring it back- show me how brave and heroic you two can be.” He grinned and picked up his comic again, opening it to the page he was on. “Make my father proud.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live, don't worry!  
> Please leave a nice comment or Kudos, it really makes my day~


	7. Wonderful Things Can be Found Up Lady Liberty's Skirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A scream ripped from Emil’s throat and he rushed over, jutting his head out of the statue as he watched his friend disappear into the cold sea in terror. A few people below gasped and cried out in shock, but Emil’s ears rang so loudly he couldn’t hear anything except for the heavy rainfall and the waves crashing violently against the island as if it were trying to tip it over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the slow updates. I want this story to be good and I'd rather not rush it.  
> Plus, life is still being really hectic and shit... I've been feeling unmotivated recently.  
> Anyways, I'll try to update at least once every month!

\---Chapter 7---

 

It took about an hour, but Emil and Leon were able to sneak into another unknowing group who were heading off to tour the statue of liberty. The teens had spent some time going around the tiny island in search of the god’s bayonet before deciding that it was most likely inside Lady Liberty herself. Must be painful for her.

 

They hung around the back of the group as they stepped inside cautiously, the foreigners snapping pictures of everything around them while the guide droned on and on about the history of America, even though the poor sight-seers probably didn’t understand a word she was saying. They probably weren’t even listening. 

 

Emil waited for Leon to stop talking to one of the Chinese kids before nudging his side to get his attention. “So, what’s our plan? Do we just sneak off at some point? Won’t they notice us leaving?”

 

Leon turned from the child and nodded. “Yeah we’ll just slowly disappear, I guess. And who cares if they notice us? It’s not like we’re related or friendly with any of them. They won’t even care, honestly.” He sighed and ran a hand through his tussled hair, slowing down his walk so he could maneuver around the tight space. “Emil I don’t know about this. He’s a god and all but he can be a bit of a trickster. This could just be a prank or a trap.”

 

Emil bit his lip and shook his head. “No, I trust him. He seems honest with his intentions and I want to help him out. He’ll get us to europe, that’s what counts the most.”

 

“Um? Hello? What about fighting monsters? Just because I have a sword doesn’t mean we’ll win a fight. We might not even finish the quest, we could always end up dying here or get kidnapped or-”

 

Emil grabbed the front of Leon’s shirt and pulled him forward. “Just shut up and go with it.”

They started making their way up the spiralling staircase and Emil’s legs ached from his little chase up the empire state building. He squinted as his eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, tripping up the tight, small steps before his feet got accustomed to the shape of the stairs. He felt his chest compress uncomfortably when he realized just how much little space there was and he gripped the railing tightly as people pushed past him. He lagged behind, letting the tourist group go on ahead without them, waiting for them to disappear from sight before he relaxed, still leaning on the railing like his life depended on it. 

 

“We’re not that high up, Em. What’s wrong?”

 

He took a shuddering, deep breath and shook his head, running a hand through his hair.“N-nothing, it’s... just a tight squeeze here. Anyways… how do we look for it? What will the bayonet even look like?”

 

“Emil, how many bayonets do you think they have hidden here? None. It won’t be that hard.”   
  


Leon gently took Emil’s arm and slowly pulled him away from the stairs, his voice softening slightly at the distressed look on his friend’s face. Without a word, they separated and started looking around the base of the statue before moving up the steps slowly, Leon standing behind his friend the whole way up as he looked around for any blade or gun hidden in in the darkness. “Don’t worry, we’ll find it and bring it back. It’s all okay.”

 

The words went through Emil’s ear and out the other, his mind ignoring what his companion said as he tried to keep cool.  _ ‘It’s nothing, it’s just a statue, I’m not going to suffocate, the darkness is totally okay, no worries-’ _ His foot slipped against the ledge of the last step and he gasped, gripping onto the railing until his knuckles turned white. ‘ _ STAY CALM, STAY CALM, WHY THE HELL IS IT SO DARK- IT’S OKAY IT’S OKAY IT’S OKAY- ‘ _

 

He felt a hand on his back slowly push him forward and he stepped onto the platform, holding onto one of the beams as the tour group pushed past him towards the staircase. He noticed the faint light seeping through a few gaps in front of him and he almost gave a sigh of relief. Sure it wasn’t much, but it made him want to kneel down and repeatedly bow at the light as if it were the greatest god in existence. 

 

“Emil relax, it’s fine we’re at the top-”

 

“I’m fine, I said I’m  _ fine.”  _

 

He heard a scoff coming from beside him and watched as Leon approached one of the gaps, stick his torso through it before gasping. “Dude, check it out- we’re at the statue’s crown!”

 

The Icelandic cautiously let go of the beam and shuffled over to the other, peering through one of the other large gaps curiously before his eyes widened and his heart hammered wildly in his chest. Below them, for what seemed like miles, was the stand in which Lady Liberty stood, in front of the dark shore of the island. Rain pattered down from the melancholy sky into the brewing ocean, which churned slowly like a beast awakening from its slumber. 

 

Emil shuddered and stepped away with a squint, distancing himself from the little window until he bumped into something small and soft, making him whirl around in surprise. In the small light seeping into the statue, he saw the young Chinese boy that Leon had been talking to earlier and he let out a sigh of relief. “Hey there, are you lost..?” 

 

The boy didn’t respond, only staring at him unblinking and void of any emotion. 

 

Leon turned around when he heard Emil speak and started to approach the child before the statue shook underneath their feet, the old beams and the platform groaning loudly. The teen stumbled back pathetically and tried to grab onto something to stop his fall, landing on his butt before looking up at the child to make sure he was okay. 

 

The color from the boy’s face had washed away as a sickly, almost translucent milky-white color took over his form. Dark creases appeared under his eyes, his eyes dimming down as the chocolate color in his hair slowly drained away. The green parka jacket he was wearing was gone and he was standing there in suspenders and a white dress shirt, looking like a boy who had his clothes picked out by his grandfather. Though his clothes looked prim and proper, his face and hair looked disheveled like he had just been swept up by a storm. 

 

Emil shakily pushed himself up onto his aching legs, staring at the boy in horror while Leon slowly stepped forward. “Hey, what are you-”

 

Before he could continue, the boy threw out his arm, sending forth a strong gust of wind from his hand that knocked the Cantonese teen back, driving him right through one of the gaps and down to the shore far below the statue. 

 

A scream ripped from Emil’s throat and he rushed over, jutting his head out of the statue as he watched his friend disappear into the cold sea in terror. A few people below gasped and cried out in shock, but Emil’s ears rang so loudly he couldn’t hear anything except for the heavy rainfall and the waves crashing violently against the island as if it were trying to tip it over.

 

A burning sensation ignited in his chest and his skin bristled as it heated up with hatred and anguish. He slowly stepped back, his damp hair clinging onto his face while his vision danced. The boy behind him didn’t react, didn’t move from his spot, didn’t blink or speak. He stared, straight into the back of Emil’s head like he was scrutinizing his thoughts and soul.

 

His breath came short and when he brushed his fingers over his soaked cheeks, his fingertips tingled when they made contact with his scorching skin. His mind was completely blank as he turned his body towards the child, his heart beating a mile a minute. 

 

The old clothing, the translucent, milky-white skin, the dim eyes- Emil added all the pieces together and he felt his chest tighten when the answer hit him like a truck. The boy was a spirit. Just like the ones his brother would tell him about when he was a child just to give him a bit of a scare. Except now it wasn’t just a dumb little story. Now it was real. It was dangerous.

 

It killed his friend.

 

Reaching into his backpack, sweat trickling down his skin as it burned, he pulled out a flashlight and hastily pushed the switch to turn it on before pointing it directly at the boy. A shrill scream erupted from its direction and it’s skin let out a gut-wrenching sizzling sound. It lunged at Emil and he dodged, stumbling around the small platform as he tried to distance himself from it. 

 

This is why you shouldn’t have kids, y’all.

 

Before the boy could crawl on a wall and pull off a bunch of cliche hollywood ghost moves, he pointed the flashlight at the spirit again as he pressed his back against the wall. He tried to push out the screaming that tried to wedge its way into his being and before he knew it, he felt his body lurch forward at a brutal force and hit against one of the iron beams. His heart lurched violently into his throat and he tried to grab onto anything for purchase, ending up with his arms gripping onto the ledge of one of the gaps of the crown, his feet brushing against Lady Liberty’s hair. 

 

His skin fizzled when the rain made contact with it and he grimaced when he felt the spirit’s essence creep up to him, chanting a name over and over again in a small whisper that resonated like a church bell in Emil’s head. 

 

As he looked down at the merciless waves below him, one name posessed his heart and cleared his muddled, weary mind. His fingers tensed and he grit his teeth as he glared up at the spirit above him before his mind went blank.

 

_ Leon. _

 

\--.--

 

“Why are you here..?”   
  


“You brought me here, you are the reason I am like this.”

 

“I would never do such a thing.”

 

“You live in the past as you are too scared to move forward- you carry the heavy weight of regret on your shoulders and the shackles of self-pity that hold you down to this island, Alfred.”

 

“Leave me alone.”

 

“Give me the flowers and you will soon forget.”

 

“ _ Davie _ …”

 

Emil slowly opened his misty eyes and stared up at the dark ceiling above him, his body stiff and tired as he tried to make sense of what was going on. Who was talking? Where were the voices coming from? He tried to move his head to look at the source of the conversation but he was paralyzed and everything  _ ached. _

 

A bright light flashed beside him and he wrenched his eyes shut until the darkness he was so used to returned. Strong arms slid underneath his body and picked him up and he felt a warm energy seep into his pale skin and watched as a gash down his arm closed up slowly on it’s own. He gasped and desperately took in a deep breath, wincing when his lungs rattled in his rib cage. 

 

Their surroundings melted away and Emil found himself standing beside Alfred at the shore of the island. Suddenly, reality crashed into him like a bus and he ran into the frigid sea, tripping over his shaky feet as he searched and searched and searched. He couldn’t be dead, he couldn’t lose him, not someone else. Not after he had just lost Lukas. 

 

He caught sight of his friend trying to keep his head above the water and he cried out, running over to him before enveloping him in a tight hug, almost pushing him down into the water. He pulled him up and desperately tried to pull him over to the shore, struggling to keep both their heads above water, especially when Leon felt much heavier than usual. 

 

He dumped him onto the shore and watched as his friend sat up, cursing and yelling in pain as he clutched his leg.

 

“Hey cool, you found it! Thanks a lot, Leon.”

 

Emil frowned before noticing a silver blade jutting out from Leon’s leg and screamed, scrambling back. “Oh my god! Leon- shit- Leon are you okay!?”

 

“Stop screaming and help me, Emil!”

 

Emil stuttered and nodded but as soon as he reached out, the blade disappeared and Alfred grinned, holding his rusty wooden bayonet, his baby blue eyes sparkling with mirth. The Icelandic looked around in confusion before grabbing a roll of bandages from his bag to wrap up Leon’s leg, ignoring the hisses coming from his companion. 

 

Once the god and the teen patched Leon up, they sat back on the moist shore- the young mortals shivering from the cold as they waited for any new instructions. The two were pressed up against each other in an attempt to share body heat before Alfred offered them both his dry jacket. 

 

“S-so..” Emil stuttered, his teeth chattering as he curled up in a ball. “We g-got your bayonet, no-now you have to get us to Europe.”

 

He grinned and nodded energetically, his eagle Abe waddling around on the ground beside his owner. “Now then, I know two people who can help you- my brother and my neighbor. My brother’s lands are cold and he might not be available to help, but it would take less time to get to europe with his help. My neighbor can conjure up some nice wind but it might take a little longer to get there. I suggest you go to my brother first.”

 

“Going back and forth will waste time, we need get there quickly. If your brother’s not there then we’ll have to trek back over here.”

 

Alfred hummed and nodded, scratching his slightly stubbly chin before nodding. “Alright, that leaves my neighbor. Well, one of them. He’s a great sailor so you won’t find too much trouble with him alongside you. He’s in Hawaii, though I can take you there.”

 

“Hawaii-?”

 

“Anyways, thank you guys for finding the bayonet- you’re all pretty brave, especially if it’s your first time.”

 

Emil stared at him for a moment before looking down at his feet that were pulled close to him. “I’m not brave.”

 

Alfred cocked a brow before crouching down in front of the Icelandic teen, ruffling his damp hair. “You don’t have to fight a war or win a battle to be brave, Emil. Some people find courage in just waking up in the morning or walking out the door to face society day after day. Don’t discourage yourself, kid. You can do wonderful things.”

 

He didn’t respond, only staring down at his feet to avoid looking into Alfred’s intense, sparkling eyes. He heard the god shuffle onto his feet before something was thrown at him, which he managed to awkwardly catch. “Take this as my blessing, it’ll come in handy. I hope you’re prepared for the long trip ahead of you two on the ocean, but if he’s blessed you with a strong breeze, you’ll make it.”

 

“I.. Thank you, Alfred.” They both stood up and bowed in respect, glancing at each other with a grimace.

  
This was going to be hell.


	8. Off to Fight Monsters On a Boat as Unstable as My Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teen screwed his eyes shut and bowed quickly, sweat beading down his face like bullets as he waited for the god to smite him- but nothing came. He apologized quickly and he cracked an eye open when he didn’t feel his body disintegrate into ashes or Emil-particles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it takes so long to write these chapters. Chapter 9 might be pretty long and will involve more planning, so that chapter might come out a bit late.  
> -Tem

**Chapter 8**

           With a flick of his godly wrist and another “Hey Hey Hey”, Emil was already regretting his choice of being teleported away to Hawaii.

 

           It was like having your body ripped to shreds before icy-cold hands reached into you and grabbed a hold of your soul, tugging it out of you and dragging it across a rocky ground before taking to the sky. At first it was rather painful, but soon it became an unsettling feeling that made him squirm and whimper vulnerably. Colors and buildings flew past him before he was left hanging in a dark chasm with only a few twinkling lights splattered around him like stars.

A crooked voice sliced through the silence. “Destination?”

 

Emil jumped in surprise and stuttered, “W-what?”

 

_“Destination?”_

 

“M-Maui, Hawaii…”

 

“Vacation?”

 

Emil glanced back at Leon in utter confusion, only to see him shrug helplessly with a nervous smile.  “Business…?”

 

“What kind?”

 

“Um… A quest…? Look, miss… mister… lord or lady, we don’t have much time to waste- We need to get there fast-“

 

“Who sent you?”

 

“A-Alfred, God of Heroes and Bravery. Can we hurry up?” He tapped his wrist impatiently to signal the time and he sighed in exasperation when the voice didn’t answer. “We have a staff of life to retrieve or whatever-“

 

He yelped in surprise when something hard slammed against the back of his hand and he stumbled back, waving his arm around to stop the throbbing. Glancing down at his hand, he saw red ink freshly stamped on his skin with a shooting star darting across his pale skin, the words "Tele-R-us" printed underneath proudly.

The shriveled, old voice was replaced with a young woman’s overly-cheery announcement as Emil felt a strong force push him forwards, almost making him stumble a bit and fall. “Thank you for traveling with ̱͞ ͈̞̠̪͕ ̜͍͡ ̶͈̠͇̣̭̹ ̗̤͕̲̹͈ͅ ̫͈͇̟͖͈̗̀ ́ ͖̱͎ ̱͞ ͈̞̠̪͕ ̜͍͡ ̶͈̠͇̣̭̹ ̗̤͕̲̹͈ͅ ̫͈͇̟͖͈̗̀ ́ ͖̱͎ ! Enjoy your time in sunny Maui, Hawaii~!”

 

Soon, a blinding light came into sight ahead of him and started to grow larger and larger like he was going through a tunnel and soon enough, he was shoved forward and fell head-first into some sand, cool water lapping up at his feet. He groaned and pushed himself up, shaking his head frantically to try and get all the sand out of his face and hair before he opened his eyes.

The strong sunlight hurt his eyes for a few moments before he managed to adjust to all the light and he let out a small gasp of surprise. In front of him was a large expansion of pure golden sand before reaching a wall of greenery that sprouted just a few meters away from the teen. The beach was devoid of people and Emil frowned, slowly peeling off his wet jacket and winter clothes as he studied his surroundings. Leon sat next to him, coughing into his hand and squinting from the strong sunlight, and just a few feet away from them was a large wooden double sailing canoe that looked a little old and worn out.

 

           Standing up on shaky and unstable legs, he slowly made his way over to the boat and traced his hand over the rough surface of the wood and glanced back at Leon. “See? He wouldn’t trick us.”

 

           Leon grunted and stood up as well, limping over to his companion’s side. “You never know. How are you sure this is Hawaii? I doubt you’ve ever been here. “

 

           Emil huffed and shrugged, glancing around the large expansion of the beach. It looked like one of those pictures on his English Teacher’s desk calendar from Hawaii, but he couldn’t be too sure. “Whatever. Let’s just say we arrived in Maui. Now, how do we find this guy? He could be anywhere on this island.”

 

           “Considering that his boat is here, he might not be too far.”

 

          “It’s old. He could have abandoned it.”

 

           “True, but…” He glanced around the quiet shore, almost expecting to see some shadow beast or some monster to pop up and ruin the peace before sighing to himself. “Let’s just hope he’s nearby. He’s the patron god of navigators, right? That means he might live at the sea-side.”

 

           Leon scratched his chin thoughtfully and squinted down at the ground that seemed to almost glow golden, trying to avoid looking at the blaring sunlight that seemed more of a curse rather than a blessing. “Yeah but it’ll take so long to find him, and I don’t think we have that time.”

 

           Emil nodded slightly and stepped away from the old boat, squirming slightly while he walked as he tried to kick out the sand from his shoes. He started walking down the shoreline, slowly slipping off his sneakers and socks as the chill, calm waves lapped up to his bare feet.  He felt like he was finally cooling down despite the heat, and all his pent up emotions seemed to evaporate into the air.

           Leon shook his head and quickly caught up to the Icelandic, peeling off his jacket and shirt but keeping his shoes on. He admits begrudgingly that his friend’s well-toned and muscular form from all the Martial arts he does with his mother did make him look good. Unlike Emil. He doesn’t remember which type he does specifically, but Emil wished he had taken up the offer to join him- all that training would have come in handy for this dumb quest.

 

           After scavenging the beach for a few minutes, they gave up and moved towards the edge of the forest, walking around awkwardly as they passed trees and stepped around rocks, trying to find some sort of clue to the whereabouts of the patron god. As they ventured deeper into the forest, Emil noticed more and more wood shavings littering the ground until he stumbled upon a few beautifully hand-carved statues of different heights and shapes placed neatly on the ground and he changed direction so he could follow them to their origin. Leon called out for him but the Icelandic teen ignored him, staring down at all the beautiful crafts in awe without bothering to glance up. Each statue seemed to have some sort of face on the surface with different expressions and patterns, staring ahead as if they were watching, waiting for someone. Emil didn’t stop walking until he accidentally bumped into something smooth and broad and he looked down to see the scarred, tattooed, tan back of a man sitting on a hand-made stool, silently carving into some wood. He was surrounded by hundreds of statues and Emil wondered how long he had spent creating them.

 

“Shi- I’m sorry sir, are you okay?”

 

           The man in front of him went still and nodded before going back to carving. “Yes, I’m fine- don’t worry about it. It’s surprising to see someone else in this area, what brings you here? Got lost?”

           It was unnerving to have to look at his back while talking, but there was something about the man that kept him grounded where he was. He had a strong aura that intimidated him, despite his calm and soothing voice. He felt like he wasn’t worth looking into his eyes, which made him cringe. “No, I mean- yes? We’re not sure, honestly.” He sighed and glanced around desperately for Leon again, who was too busy marveling at all the crafts instead of helping him out. How nice. “We’re looking for someone named Ahe… Do you know him? Or anyone who might know him?”

 

           The man gave a little hum and Emil watched him lower his arms before he turned around in his stool that seemed a little too small for someone so broad and thick, and faced the teen. His warm brown eyes seemed so calm and soft yet vibrant and full of ancient memories that were yet to be revealed. More tattoos were on his broad chest and stomach, the ink patterned on his skin seemed to tell stories that Emil just couldn’t understand. His long, curly hair was tied up neatly and placed on his shoulder and the man was wearing nothing but knee-length shorts. A kind smile with the hints of intrigue and curiosity on his lips blossomed on his face and Emil tried not to stutter. “Yes, of course I know him. I know myself, don’t I?”

 

“W-wait, you’re Ahe?”

 

“Indeed I am. Pretty sad you couldn’t recognize me, but it’s understandable. I’m not a well-known deity like some of the big guys.”

 

Emil’s heart almost shuddered to a stop and he feared the worst. How could he have recognized Ahe? He just learned that gods and demigods existed, he didn’t know any of them. It would have helped if they taught about them in school as Mythology or something, like the Greek or viking gods- but it’s like the idea of these deities that existed were a secret. Their stories were unknown to everyone. Now he was probably angry. 

 

The teen screwed his eyes shut and bowed quickly, sweat beading down his face like bullets as he waited for the god to smite him- but nothing came. He apologized quickly and he cracked an eye open when he didn’t feel his body disintegrate into ashes or Emil-particles. 

 

“Stand up, boy. I’m not mad. Now, what did you and your companion want from me?”

 

Emil straightened himself up immediately and he relaxed slightly at the calm and soothing look on Ahe’s face. “W-we need to get to Europe. Alfred said that you were one of the greatest navigators and that you could get us there safely.”

 

The calm smile on the god’s face slowly fell and he sighed, pressing his knife against the surface of the wood he was holding, slicing off thin layers of wood smoothly like it was second nature. “Sorry boy, I don’t think I can help. The ocean isn’t as safe as it once was, and I haven’t set foot on a boat in centuries. I think you should find another way to get to Europe.”

 

Ah.

 

That would explain the old canoe that would probably break apart with a single touch.

 

Emil stammered as he tried to come up with an argument to get the other to help him, his hands moving around as he tried to express his ideas, but nothing he said was making any sense. He came all this way for nothing? How was he going to get back to the US and ask Alfred for help  _ again _ ?

 

“B-but, sir- it- it’s important! We have a quest to complete and if we don’t get there, the quest won’t be completed and the god of nature will die and the world is gonna end and everyone’s gonna die and just- don’t you care-!?”

 

He felt a hand press against his mouth and he craned his head back to see Leon standing beside him, glaring at him silently with grit teeth before he turned to the god. “Sir, we are desperate for your help. We are willing to take on the monsters during our voyage. We are willing to fight for the sake of the gods and the mortals. You like adventures, right? And you haven’t sailed in centuries, right? This is your chance to relive that experience again. Please sir, we’ll pay you anything you want.”

 

Ahe sighed and held his hand up, making Leon pipe down. “I understand. But I’m not young like I once was. I’ve settled down to do other things. Like carving.”

 

Emil looked around at all the statues surrounding him and he raised his brow.  _ ‘It’s a miracle he hasn’t gone insane yet.’ _

 

The god shook his head and pressed the blade against the wood again, but didn’t start peeling away at it. “I don’t want payment. I just want peace of the mind. I’ve lived for a long time and I’ve seen many things. I just want a break from things and try to clear my mind, figure out where I stand in this world.”

 

Emil watched him sit still for a few seconds before moving Leon’s hand away silently, moving over and kneeling down a foot or two away from Ahe. He bowed slowly and looked up at the man. “Sir, with all due respect, I believe that you should go on this quest. Based on what Leon has said, I believe you were made for the sea and for the adventures. I understand that you may think that this is the right path for you to take but maybe if you go back out there, you will get the peace of the mind you so wish. Just give it a try, sir. Only once, be the brave explorer and adventurer that you once were.”

 

By the end of his speech, Emil’s face was burning and red, but he stood his ground. Or knelt his ground. He could sit there on his knees for hours and make the god uncomfortable if it meant that he would set foot on that boat and take them to europe. He would make prolonged eye contact with the man if it meant he could see Lukas again. He wouldn’t back down. Just like his stubborn brother. 

 

The god looked away awkwardly and tried to face away, but the teen’s hard stare was unnerving and the fire in his eyes seemed to make the shell around Ahe melt, as he gave up soon and sighed. “Alright… I’ll take you to europe if you’re so desperate.” He looked around at his statues, a bit uncomfortably, before standing up with a loud grunt. He must have not stood up from his spot in a long time, based on his stumble and trembling legs. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you kids. Don’t expect it to be so easy.” 

 

Emil nodded and quickly pushed himself up, dusting off his legs before turning to look at Leon’s smug face. He stuck his tongue out and tugged his ear roughly before following Ahe back to the shore. 

 

The reached the tattered canoe and winced when Ahe placed his hands on it, the wood creaking and seeming to crackle under his touch and the teens winced slightly, giving scared side glances to each other. That boat couldn’t last a second on the ocean, how were they expected to get to Europe?

 

A kind look adorned Ahe’s face as he ran his hand over the splintered surface. “Haven’t seen you in awhile… I’m sorry.”

 

The teens threw each other concerned glanced but they didn’t say anything.

 

Ahe boarded the boat and it creaked under his feet, but he didn’t stop or get off to fix the boat or find another one. Instead, he continued to get everything ready before waving Emil and Leon over, a grin on his face. “Alright, everything’s ready. Let’s get going before it’s too late, no?”

 

As they nervously stepped onto the splintering boat, Emil wondered what he had gotten himself into.

  
  



	9. A King No More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The God of Nature lay atop a bed- or at least, what used to be a bed. It was now covered with moss and ferns, small animals nestled into the plant life seeping out from the resting god as his life force slowly oozed out from his weak body. The oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose was covered in grass and flowers, which trickled down the god’s chin and onto the bed underneath him. Berwald took a shuddering breath as he saw his lover and his heart almost shuddered to a stop.
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> He was supposed to be hibernating peacefully, like every year. But instead, he was hooked up to so many machines, his skin pale and almost gray as his life slowly depleted.
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> And it was all his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the extremely late update. I've been slowly getting better, and I'm working on another project which is taking up a lot of my time.  
> But don't worry, I still love this AU so I'm still writing it! Don't think I forgot  
> Anyways, have a different chapter

_ The rusty chains dug into the god’s wrist and scraped against his flesh painfully, blood pouring out of scratches and dripping down his arms, only fueling the stench of iron and bodily fluids in the murky dungeon. The smell didn’t bother him, as he had been there for so long that he had grown used to the foul smell which had made him constantly retch so long ago. Was it months? Years? He couldn’t tell anymore.  _

 

_ How stupid. _

 

_ How pathetic. _

 

_ They called themselves gods, but that was simply a human term they'd adopted, to suit their egos. They were as much creations as anything else in the universe, embodiments of strong emotions or life forces. What right had they to call themselves gods without believers? He wasn't stupid, far from it. They weren't gods by any stretch- they deluded themselves, told themselves they had power and were therefore invincible.But not now. Now, soaked in his own blood and trapped behind countless locks, he felt no more than human, no better or more worthy of power than any other mortal.  _

 

_ Breathing in again, and ignoring the stabbing pain in his healing chest, Berwald shut his eyes, letting his senses sweep through the void they called home, searching subconsciously for the soothing presence of his lover. He found Tino within minutes, soul dim but fighting, still prone in his underground room. A small sigh escaped his swollen lips at the hopelessness that had permeated that place. "Please... Tino." He choked, ignoring the rustle of cloth as Lukas's pale face emerged from under his cloak. "I need to- please-" Unconsciousness was tugging at his thoughts, and as Lukas rose to unsteady feet, chain clinking intrusively, Berwald reached out an imaginary hand and grasped Tino's soul, before slipping away into a dream.  _

 

_ Soon the God was surrounded by the refreshing aroma of honey and flowers, the cool feeling of dew on his feet pulling him out of his trance while the image of a moss-covered stone temple slowly came into view, along with the surrounding thick forest filled with every type of tree and plant imaginable, some of which he had never seen before in his life.  _

 

_ The comforting sunlight that shone on his scarred and bloodied body made his heart flutter for the first time in what seemed like forever and he urged his body to move towards the neatly carved steps in front of him. He licked his chapped lips and brushed his fingertips along the columns at the entrance of the impressive structure, feeling the bumps and incisions on the surface that formed words and told stories of ancient and modern times of the world and the god inside the building. Soon, he saw him. _

 

_ There lay his husband, the man he had devoted his entire immortal life to - the man he had never stopped loving. _

 

_ The man who was fatally ill.  _

 

_ The God of Nature lay atop a bed- or at least, what used to be a bed. It was now covered with moss and ferns, small animals nestled into the plant life seeping out from the resting god as his life force slowly oozed out from his weak body. The oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose was covered in grass and flowers, which trickled down the god’s chin and onto the bed underneath him. Berwald took a shuddering breath as he saw his lover and his heart almost shuddered to a stop.  _

 

_ He was supposed to be hibernating peacefully, like every year. But instead, he was hooked up to so many machines, his skin pale and almost gray as his life slowly depleted.  _

 

_ And it was all his fault. _

 

_ “Tino...” _

 

_ The other didn’t respond. His eyes were shut, heavy dark bags crinkling underneath them, his chest faintly rising and falling thanks to the help of the machines pumping air into him. Machines that were probably hurting him as well.  _

 

_ A small doe raised her honey-brown eyes to Berwald as he approached, the cuts and bruises on his body beginning to knit together and fade to faint scars. He rested a tentative hand on her forehead (fingers beginning to click back into place) as he perched on the side of the bed, taking in his dying lover's form. He sighed, voice no longer cracked and broken as the God's magic continued to take hold. "I'm trying to help, I really am." _

 

_ Moving the hand to Tino's forehead, Berwald sent a jolt of energy through their weak connection, feeling his own heartbeat falter even in his semi-conscious state as Tino took a deep breath and his violet eyes weakly flickered open. He slowly tried to reach up a hand,  breaking the moss that was keeping him glued to the bed, as he tried to press his cold palm against his husband’s cheek. “Ber… What are you doing here? You-you… “ He paused and took a few laboured breaths, not being able to talk as quick and smoothly as he used to. “You need to stop… coming here.” _

 

_ "I can't." Berwald choked, feeling tears rise up and threaten to overflow. "I need to see you, to-to check you're okay. Matthias can go to hell. You're all I care about…” _

 

_ A sweet smile blossomed behind the grass-covered mask. “I’m sure he’s already in hell, darling.” His voice cracked and shook and Berwald had to lean closer just to hear what he was saying. He sent another jolt of energy into his body and Tino weakly ‘slapped’ his hand away, attempting to school his delicate and kind features into one of anger. “Stop that, Ber. You’re going to get yourself killed doing this… please-” _

 

_ “I’m so sorry Tino.”  _

 

_ Usually Berwald wasn’t one to interrupt his spouse, letting him ramble on and tell him everything, glaring at anyone who tried to stop the God’s word spout. But this time he threw his respect and adoration out the wind for just one moment to get his thoughts out of his head before it was too late. To tell him everything he had thought about while in the dungeon, facing Mathias.  _

 

_ Tino sighed, already knowing where this was going, reading his husband like a book. “None.. None of this is your fault, Ber…” _

 

_ “It is.” he snapped bitterly. “It’s all my fault. The fact that you can’t survive without your staff is completely my fault. I fucked everything up for you and now you’re so sick you can barely breathe.”  _

 

_ “Berwald that’s enough-” _

 

_ “I’m greedy and selfish. I wasn’t happy with what I had, I thirsted for more, I wanted to understand everything and build a better life for humans. I didn’t know it was ruining you. I didn’t know it was making you ill. Why didn’t I know? Why couldn’t I see sooner that you were hurting? I’m a horrible person. I’m a fool- ‘god of wisdom’ my ass, I’m no smarter than a toddler-” He choked and lowered his head in shame, tears threatening to fall. _

 

_ “I’m sorry. For being such a shitty husband.” _

 

_ Tino’s hand trembled weakly and he stroked his thumb across his lover’s cheek. “Berwald… Look at me, Darling.” _

 

_ The God of Wisdom didn’t want to face his husband, shame and regret masking his broken features. No, he wasn’t worthy to look at him. Not after what he had done. Not after everything that had happened. He couldn’t show himself to his husband any more. Tino could feel the distress emanating from him and gently stroked the side of his face before gently turning his head so they could make eye contact.  _

 

_ “I’m not letting you go, Tino.” He took a shaky breath and leaned into the comforting touch, lightly holding his wrist as if it were going to break under his touch, “You...We can’t lose you…” _

 

_ The smaller male looked away, for a moment and sighed. “Nothing lasts forever, Berwald. You’ve said it yourself.” _

 

_ “We’ll get it back in time, Tino- We’ll get it back and save you. Just- just don’t give up on me yet. “ _

 

_ “Berwald.. Please..” He could see the other tremble slightly and he felt a painful lump rise in his throat. “Maybe it’s time.” _

 

_ Time stopped in his tracks, and not a single breath left the God’s body. He stared down at his weak husband, shock taking over his features as the words slowly sunk in. It felt like nothing moved, and the animals that were once slumbering away peacefully seemed like statues. Not a single leaf moved and warm tears dripped down onto Tino’s pale face. _

 

_ “No, don’t say that..” _

 

_ “I love you Berwald, but please understand. There’s no more room for me here on this earth, I’m… too weak. You’re not at fault, Ber. You wanted what was best and I love you for that-” _

 

_ “Don’t say that!” _

 

_ Tino quietens down and watches his husband mourn for the first time in what seemed like forever. _

 

_ Neither of them speak, not prepared for what words were to come from themselves or from each other. Tino takes in a few shaky breaths, the mask still practically glued to his face from the moss and grass, and he gently pulls it off. _

 

_ The God almost leaps forward in an attempt to put the mask back onto his lover but his hands are swatted away and he watches in confusion and fear as the mask is fully removed. They stare at each other for a few more moments and Tino brings his husband’s face closer.  _

 

_ They share a weak kiss, a gentle brush of two lips before more love and passion is put through the kiss. Berwald knows it’s not real, he’s not physically there- but he doesn’t pull away and tries to share all his devotion and admiration through just one kiss. Before it’s too late. _

 

_ The King and ‘Queen’ separate slowly for just a few seconds and rest their foreheads together for just a few moments, basking in each other’s presence before Tino pipes up, his voice light and almost non-existent as he desperately breathes. His skin is hot, just like it had been for so long, but none of them bring it up. _

 

_ “I love you Berwald. More than Anything, and I’m proud of you. I’ll always be there watching over you and our family.” _

 

_ Berwald gulps and leans down to press another kiss to his forehead as he feels his vision start to dance and the landscape slowly disappear. The king doesn't respond at first until he feels himself drawing so close to reality again, so close to the dungeon he dreaded with his whole being.  _

 

_ “I love you.” _

 

_ And with that, Tino is gone. The king- now no nobler or stronger than a low peasant - lies awake in the chamber, more blood covering his body like a melting candle and he weakly clenches his teeth. _

 

_ He let out a cry of anguish. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to one of my friends who wrote a scenario like this one. It was really adorable so I used parts from it for this chapter.
> 
> Don't be afraid to leave any comments-   
> Constructive criticism only please


	10. Tiny Gods are the True Horror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the unnatural and seemingly painful injury, the boy just stood there with his thick brows furrowed and his arms crossed over his chest like nothing was wrong. His old-fashioned sailor costume seemed as dry as a bone despite just being emerged in water not moments ago, and there was no blood leaking from the boy’s ear or nose. Or anywhere. 
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> Leon gagged at the sight, “What the hell..”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!!! I'LL TRY TO UPDATE MORE REGULARLY NOW AAAAA

When Ahe mentioned the many beasts dwelling in the ocean, Emil got on the boat with dread and trepidation. Yet, now that they were slowly cruising over the waves, the sun beating down like sharp needles on their necks, Emil felt somewhat cheated- a lucky type of cheated. Apart from maybe a few slimy worm-like creatures that pathetically threw themselves onto their board, the sea and the atmosphere felt completely empty. In fact, the only way they were even moving in the first place was because of Ahe’s winds. If it weren’t for his powers, they’d all be stuck at the beach.

 

Emil could hear soft murmurs from the front of the canoe as Leon and Ahe spoke among each other, Leon’s voice shakier and more prone to cracking than usual. Yet, despite the nervous way his words were sewn together in the form of curt, short sentences, there was an aura of admiration and respect emanating from his voice and the way he carried himself around the deity. Being around so many gods in just the span of one day must have excited him to no end.

 

Despite the interesting way his friend spoke, the Icelandic couldn’t focus on their conversation. Or maybe, he didn’t want to focus on it. He lay on the edge of the creaky vessel, one hand digging into the wood to hold himself on while the other traced patterns on the floor. His face itched from the many splinters jutting out from the unkempt and ancient craft, but he didn’t bother to move from his spot, his hot skin sticking to the rough surface. The few waves that the sea produced sounded like white noise as they lapped against the boat, and the conversation going on behind him seemed distant and abstract. He was lost in his own sea of thoughts and emotions, trying to find a way to make him feel worse than he already was.

 

Ever since he woke up the previous day, he never saw a moment of peace. Not even when he was sleeping back at Leon’s house before they departed- his usual nightmares making sure to ruin every moment of silence he had. He never got a chance to let all of the events settle in, nor did he ever have the chance to think rationally. He felt like he was being pushed around by the gods and his best friend. Nothing felt real. Everything felt so surreal, so crazy and wild that he couldn’t wrap his head around it. The only thing tethering him down was the deep heartache for losing his brother.

 

Gods? Beasts? Quests? This couldn’t be true.

 

Yet,

 

Somehow, it all felt right. There was something in his gut, a feeling he wasn’t able to fully grasp; something that awoke once he finished his talk with Berwald.

 

He stopped tracing little patterns and shapes and studied his hand, looking at his darkened fingertips and newly formed callouses all over his palm. With his thumb, he tried to scratch off the dark stains, but nothing came off. The rough texture sent chills down his spine and it felt like he was dragging his nail across stone. Emil quickly placed the tip of his thumb in his mouth to try and soothe the strange jolt of pain.

 

Somehow, his mind traced back to the incident in the statue of liberty. He remembered how his skin burned when the heavy rain pelted him, how he somehow blacked out and woke up within the statue just moments later, his clothes sticking against his hot skin-

 

“EMIL!”

 

Emil jolted up and almost rolled straight off the boat in shock, grasping his chest tightly as his heart tried to calm down. He whirled around and glared at his best friend, who was reaching out to him in an attempt to steady him.

 

“What the hell is wrong with you!? Don’t scare me like that!”

 

Leon sighed in relief at his antics and placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Jeez, we were trying to get your attention for the past hour! I was getting worried-”

 

Emli slapped his hand away and crossed his arms stubbornly. “I’m. Fine. Just let me lay down again-”

 

Ahe finally piped up from his spot near the sail, his calm, yet booming voice interrupting their banter while he continued to pay close attention to the never-ending horizon. “Don’t yell like that; you might attract unwanted attention.” He trailed off for a moment and the boat went quiet before the god cleared his throat, “Is everything alright... Emil?”  
Emil sat up and pulled his knees up to his chest, almost getting knocked onto his side as the boat rocked from side-to-side. Placing a hand down to steady himself, he hummed, avoiding eye contact with his companion. “I dunno… I guess I’m still just reeling from it all…”

 

Ahe hummed, urging him to continue.

 

“And just- I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go. I feel like I’m being shoved around and I just never got the time to think over everything. I don’t know what’s going on anymore. Why me?”

 

He looked down at his roughed-up palm and Leon glanced over, his eyes growing wide as he grabbed his hand, much to Emil’s dismay. He traced his fingers over the darker parts of Emil’s hand and winced slightly. “Dude, what the hell happened?”

 

“H-how the hell should I know?? None of this makes sense!”

 

Tears welled up in Emil’s burning eyes and he swallowed, lowering his head in shame to avoid anyone noticing. “I don’t know where it came from…”

 

Ahe spared a moment to glance back to where Emil and Leon were sitting and cocked a brow, taking a quick second to study the rock-like callouses before turning his attention back to managing the boat. “D’you know who your godly parent is?”

 

Emil bit his lip and shook his head, retracting his hand from Leon’s grasp with an awkward blush. “No. Never met my father.”

 

“Have you ever noticed anything strange about yourself? Weird abilities? Powers?”

 

“No…”

 

The boat fell silent once more and Emil felt too awkward to interrupt the tension-filled peace. He looked over at Leon for help- for some sort of comfort, but the teen was busy in his own thoughts, still studying his hand closely despite not holding it anymore. “Well… maybe he isn’t a demigod. Maybe he’s a magician sort of thing like his brother-”

 

“Magician-?”

 

“-Doubt it. A magician still wouldn’t be able to see as much as Emil did. He’s very likely a demigod…”

 

Before Emil could ask anymore questions, the boat picked up speed and he was forced to shut his mouth to stop himself from getting sick all over the already foul-smelling boat. He took a few deep breaths as the waves threw them around and he focused on the horizon, squinting against the blinding sunlight. After laying down for most of the journey, he forgot how crappy the sun can truly be. Before he could lay down again and mope by himself, he noticed something resembling a tuft of blonde hair ducking into the water out in front of them. Before he could say anything to Ahe, the boat thumped loudly against something on the surface and a garbled yelp was heard before it went quiet again.

 

Emil instantly freaked out and grabbed Ahe, momentarily forgetting that he was a god able to smite him in just milliseconds. “What the hell was that!? You just ran over something! Was that a person-”

 

Ahe huffed and glanced back, dimming the winds so their little ship would slow down, “Don’t worry, they’ll join us real soon. Been a while since this happened.”

 

“What does that even mean!?”

 

“Uh- guys?” Leon tried to grab their attention and Emil quickly turned to him, fearing the worst.

 

He was in the middle of changing his bandages, covering the bayonet wound from earlier with one hand while he pointed the the end of the boat with another.

 

Two small hands were grabbing onto the soft rotting wood and soon, a blonde boy pulled himself up onto the ship. Emil quickly stood uneasily and tried to move in front of Leon in an attempt to protect him, but he stopped in the middle of his tracks when he noticed the disfigured neck of the boy. Lumps of bone jutted up and pushed against his skin and his neck was bent horribly in an ungodly manner. Bile tried to make it’s way up Emil’s throat but he couldn’t look away. Despite the unnatural and seemingly painful injury, the boy just stood there with his thick brows furrowed and his arms crossed over his chest like nothing was wrong. His old-fashioned sailor costume seemed as dry as a bone despite just being emerged in water not moments ago, and there was no blood leaking from the boy’s ear or nose. Or anywhere.

 

Leon gagged at the sight, “What the hell..”

 

The boy ignored the teenagers, focusing his eyes on Ahe who had his back turned to the whole situation. “Hey! Be more careful- I was swimming!”

 

“ _You_ should be the careful one-”

 

“Just because this hasn’t happened in centuries doesn’t mean you should forget! Hey- pay attention to me, you big meanie!”

 

The boy took off his hat and gently threw it at the god, and Emil paled. This child either wanted to die, or didn’t care if he died. Despite his mean tone, the way he threw his hat seemed a little playful, and his blue eyes glinted teasingly. His speech was perfect, despite the disfigurement of his neck, with a hint of an english accent. What the hell was an english boy doing all the way out in the middle of the ocean?

 

“Long time no see, Peter.”

 

Emil was too preoccupied staring in horror at the boy who seemed to survive peacefully with a life-threatening blow to his head, leaving Leon to interrupt the conversation. He awkwardly cleared his throat and made a ‘T’ with his hands. “Hold on- time out. Who are you?”

 

The boy somehow managed to turn his head with a sickening crack and looked at the other occupants of the boat for the first time since he got on. He cocked a brow before grinning a wide toothy grin, grabbing his head to quickly adjust it, more loud cracks resonating through the air.

 

Emil wanted to hurl.

 

“I’m Peter! I’m a God-” Ahe snorted and Peter sent a sour glare in his direction before spreading his arms out with a big dopey smile plastered on his round face. “-But one day I’ll inherit the whole ocean and I’ll be bigger! I’ll be the greatest god here, Just you wait!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short-ish chapter! Wanted to give the characters a moment to breathe and let everything sink in a little. Poor Emil >3>
> 
> Also Peter needs to be babysat 24/7 before he scares some mortals 
> 
> Thank you all for you support <33 Hope you enjoy this little chapter


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